God's last judgments before Christ comes; the seven angels
having the seven last plagues; the saints seen in security and real
victory before His coming

Revelation 15 is a new vision. It unrolls before the prophet
another scene, the last plagues or judgments of God, and specially
that of Babylon, before Christ comes. The main object of the
vision was the seven angels, having the seven last plagues; but,
as ever, the saints who have to do with this scene are seen in
security before the judgments begin. They have been purified, but
have come through the fire of tribulation too. They stand on a sea
mingled with fire. They have belonged to the time when the beast
and his image were in power, but they had got the victory over
it. They seemed perhaps to have succumbed -- it was real
victory.

The song of Moses and the song of the Lamb sung by the slain
remnant, victorious sufferers who belong to heaven; God's works and
ways and glory celebrated

Their song is very peculiar. The song of Moses is triumph over
the power of evil by God's judgments. The song of the Lamb is the
exaltation of the rejected Messiah, of the suffering One, like
whom they had suffered; for it is the slain remnant amidst
unfaithful and apostate Israel whom we find here. The song
celebrates God and the Lamb, but by victorious sufferers who
belong to heaven. What they celebrate are the works of Jehovah
Elohim Shaddai (the God of the Old Testament), but who now has
manifested Himself in judgment, known by His works that are public
for the people. He showed His ways unto Moses, His works unto the
children of Israel. His works are celebrated now. They are the
works of Jehovah Elohim Shaddai, the Judge of all the earth. But
His ways are celebrated too. There was intelligence of them, as
far at least as righteous judgment went. These ways in judgment
were just and true. Israel would understand deliverance, and how
it came; but Moses knew God's ways. But this is all. It is not
merely celebration of qualities and attributes, as the angels do,
nor the full knowledge of God's work in salvation by the blood of
the Lamb. It is not the heart going up in the sense of its own
relationship, but a celebration of the glory of the Lord, who
would now be worshipped by the nations, for His judgments were
manifested. It was intelligence when judgments were manifested,
not when all was yet to be learned within the veil.

The temple of the tabernacle of the testimony opened; the seven
angels; the full display of God in judgment

This celebration of what was just bursting forth being made, the
temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened,
not merely the temple with the ark of the covenant seen. That
secured the result for faith, when evil was raging in power on
earth; the ark of God's covenant secured Israel. It was a
testimony opened out, not a covenant which secured in the hour of
evil, but a testimony which made good what the ark of the covenant
secured; for the temple was opened, and the messengers of judgment
came forth -- God's judgment for the restoration and blessing of
Israel, by the judgment of the Gentiles and all who corrupted the
earth. Cleanness in God's sight, and divine righteousness,
characterised and animated this judgment -- clean linen pure and
white, and golden girdles: I apprehend the former, in answer to
corruption in what should have had this -- Babylon (compare
Rev. 19: 8). That is, it was a judgment which required it, and was
according to it, and also to divine righteousness. It is not brass
burning in the fire -- simply execution of judgment in dealing
with men, though that took place -- but God making good His own
nature and character against corruption, the essential character
of the eternal God, which the assembly ought to have displayed;
whereas Babylon was entirely the contrary, and the beast too. The
seven angels judge all according to these characters of God,
because it was really the avenging of what God was, as fully
revealed to the assembly; but the white linen refers, I doubt not,
specially to Babylon, though the men with the mark of the beast
would come under the judgment. One of the four living creatures
gives the vials; for it is the judicial power of God in creation,
not yet the Lamb. God's glory in judgment filled the temple; and
no man could have to say to Him in worship, or approaching Him,
while these plagues were executing. It was the full display of God
in judgment.